Loom.



110.755,71.V l PATENTED1511111.29,1904.

H. w. SMITH.

LOOM.

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No. 755,715. l PATENTBD MR. 29, 1904.

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LO0M.

APPLICATNN IILI'ID NOV. 10, 1900. I0 IODEL.

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No. 755,715.4 PATBNTED MAR. 29, 1904. H. W. SMITH. LOOM.

APPLIouIoN rILnn Nov.1o, 1900.y

No. 755,715. PATENTED 1111111.29, 1904.

H. W. SMITH.

LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 1o, 1900.

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UNTTED STATES Patented March 29, 1904.

PATENT CFFICE.

HARRYW. SMITH, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,715, dated March 29, 1904. Application filed November 10, 19,00. Serial No. 36,118. (No model.)

To all whom itin/my concern:

Be it known that 1, HARRY W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and Aa resident of Worcester, county of iiforcester, andState of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in VVeft-Replenishing Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to looms of that type wherein a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism determines the order in which the warps shall be manipulated to form thesheds.

In such type of loom should the filling in the shuttle break or become absent from any cause the mechanism of the loom is liable to continue in operation for several picks, during which time the shedding mechanism following the call of the pattern forms sheds, into which, however, no filling is laid, the result being thatA no cloth ispwoven from the time the filling becomes broken or exhausted until the loom is brought to a' stop by the usual weft-fork echanism or similar device, thus operating wuiih several lost picks. Under these conditions Y in order, to resume weaving at the proper point and to produce perfect cloth not only is it necessary to turn the warp and cloth beams to bring the fell into proper relation with the lay and to pick out any defective or incomplete picks that might have been laid, but the entire shedding mechanism of the loom has to be turned back by hand the exact number of picks the loom had run after the illing failed, the pattern-surface also requiring attention to see that a proper shedding of the warp-threads will result in the pick next to be made to continue the figure of the fabric.

In the plairrfabric loom-that is, one in whichr substantially one half of the warpthreads are alternately raised and lowered to form the sheds-the diiiiculties above pointed out are not present,owing to the simple character of the shed and the alternate motions given the two sets of warps, so that on the breaking or exhaustion of filling in a plain loom turning back of the shedding-mechanism present invention to provide in a is not necessary. In such plain form of loom, however, it has been desirable to securer con- ,tinuous running to produce increased amount of cloth, and to this end it has been proposed to equip such plain looms with a filling, changing, or replenishing mechanism made operative on the breaking or exhaustion of the filllng in a shuttle to effect a fresh supply thereto.

The most frequent cause of weaving imperfect cloth on the fancy loom and the consequent delay in turning back the mechanism to the starting-point is the failure of filling' due to its breaking or becoming exhausted from the shuttle or carrier.

It is therefore one of the objects of my loom equipped with pattern-controlled shedding mechanism means whereby the occurrence of a lost pick or lost picks due to failure of illing may be prevented and the delay of turning back-be overcome. In order to further preserve the figure effect in the fabric produced and avoid the objectionable delay of turning b ack the shedding and pattern mechanism on the occurrence of a fault inv the wrap, I have provided means to bring the loom to rest when a warp-thread breaks or becomes too slack.

As one embodiment of my present invention I'have selected a form of filling changing or replenishingmechanism which shall be rendered operative to eect a fresh supply of filling when that in the shuttle approaches but prior to complete exhaustion, and while I deem this the preferredform of such filling changing or replenishing mechanism, yet it is to be understood that my invention is not limited in this respect, and the objects of the present invention would be attained by other forms of such mechanisms-as, for instance, where the filling is replenished upon complete exhaustion or breaking of that carried by a shuttle. my invention a filling changing or replenishing mechanism operable to eEect a fresh supply just prior to complete exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle, I have also illustrated and described in connection therewith a stopping mechanism for stopping the loom when a filling-thread breaks.

Having selected for illustration of I IOO With the above general statement of my invention, which primarily consists of a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism of any usual or desired type and a filling changing or replenishing mechanism combined for the purposes generally outlined above, I will now proceed to describe in detail one form of mechanical embodiment of my invention selected for illustration.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a loom provided with a patterncontrolled shedding mechanism as is necessary to show my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a like elevation on the opposite side of the loom from that shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one end of the loom, being the end shown by Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail of the Warp stop-motion to be described. Figs. 5 and 6 are details of shuttle and contacts. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the relay and circuits.` Fig. 8 is a detail of the shipper and switch for cutting out the circuit.

Rising from the loom-frame A are the top arches AX, to which is connected, as at A3, the

l dobby or head-motion supporting bracket A,

having pivoted thereto at A5 the harness-levers A2, provided with notched upper ends to which one end of aharness connection a' is secured, the said harness connection passing therefrom over suitable guide-rollers a on the top arches and being connected at the opposite end to the heddle-frames AX, as usual in such form of shedding mechanism.

The dobby o1 head motion supporting bracket is provided with guideways a2, in which slide the knives a3, driven from the vibrator-arm a5 through the connection as, the said vibrator-arm, preferably one each side of the bracket, being reciprocated, as usual, by any suitable connection, as a7, With amoving part of the loom, as the pinion c6. Pivotally secured to the harness-levers at as are the connectors al", carrying the hooked jacks @4, jointed to them at a, the said jacks under the call of the pattern-chain a, carried by the shaft am, being adapted to engage the reciprocating knives a3 a3 to thereby raise and depress the heddle-frames AX, all as usual in this class of dobby or head motions and which will be fully understood without further detail explanation.

Mounted in suitable bearings in the loomframe is the pinion AG, intermeshing with a pinion A7 on the crank-shaft B, from which it receives motion. Secured to pinion A6 is a bevel-gear A, having driving connection with the bevel-gear A on the worm-shaft A10, carrying a worm Al near its upper end, which engages and drives a worm-Wheel A12 on the shaft am, over which the pattern-chain a` passes. From this it will be seen that the order of forming sheds is controlledfrom the pattern surface or chain a, the shedding mechanism being driven from the crank-shaft,

and that the usual wide range of pattern or figured effects on the fabric being produced is secured, and it will likewise appear should any disarrangement occur in the operative relations or timing of the shedding mechanism and the other parts of the loom that at once the continuity of the figure or pattern being woven is destroyed, and a defect will exist in the cloth. This disarrangement may be brought about by a continuation of the weaving operation after the filling in the shuttle has run out or become exhausted, and it may also occur with more or less effect upon a breakage in the warp, for which reasonIhave provided a filling-detecting mechanism to detect the filling before complete exhaustion,a filling changing or replenishing mechanism which will be called into action to supply fresh filling prior to the complete exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle, and also a warp stop-motion to bring the loom to rest upon the breaking of a warpthread.

In the present embodiment of my invention Ihave selected for illustration a form of filling changing or replenishing mechanism disclosed in Patent No. 614,369, wherein the shuttle previously in use is ejected from the shuttlebox and another shuttle carrying a supply of filling is substituted therefor when the filling is to be changed; but it is to be understood that my invention is not limited in this respect and that I regard as within the scope thereof any form of filling changing or replenishing mechanism, either where the shuttles are changed, as in the above patent, or where the filling-carrier is changed in the same shuttle.

The crank-shaft B, pitman B', the under or cam shaft B2, gears B3 and B, the mutilated gear Gr, shaft es, link e, lever e3, link e2, shuttle-boX rod D6, mutilated gear f, shaft 39, arm cl3, link c, joined to the elbow-lever f", pivoted at a2 on a stand BX, the elbow-lever @12, mounted on a stud e and having a stud or roller 26, the shuttle-feeder z, mounted on a lever or bar h3, pivoted on a stud L, spring ha, inclined guides la and o5, roller k12, are and may be all as set forth in said Letters Patent N o. 614,369 and need not be further described except in the one particular that instead of connecting the link c direct to the elbow-lever fI interpose a lever f6 between them and connect the lever fw by a pin f61 to the lower extended end of the elbow-lever f6 for ease of movement.

In the present form of my invention I have preferably placed the filling-changing mechanism at one end of the lay and the indicating-box at the opposite end, so that after an indication of practical exhaustion of the filling in an active shuttle the latter will make one, three, or more picks before the shuttle is brought into position to have the filling changed, and I have disposed the filling upon the bobbin or carrier to provide sufiicient fill- IOC ing for this purpose after practical exhaustion has beenV indicated.

Mounted upon the indicating-box end of the lay A and projecting' into the shuttle-box, so as to be engaged by the incoming shuttle S, are the detectors ZJ', comprising spring conducting-fingers connected, preferably, to the said box at the inner end thereof, as shown by Fig. 6, and to which the wires 1 and 2, having suitable connection with electric supply, as battery P or other source of electric energy, arejoined by suitable binding-posts b2.

The shuttle may be of any usual construction, and it carries a bobbin or filling-carrier b3, upon which is mounted a conductor b4, preferably in the form of a metallic ring, which when the bobbin or carrier has a practical working supply of filling thereon is covered by said filling; but when said filling has become practically exhausted the conductor or ring b* is uncovered. Connected to the shuttle and preferably spring-pressed toward the bobbin or filling-carrier are the contacts b5 b5 in electrical connection with the strips b Z2, preferably located on the top of the shuttle in position to be engaged by the detectors b b as the shuttle enters the box. The contacts b5 b5 are normally separated from electrical connection through the metallic ring b4 by the filling on the carrier or bobbin; but when the filling has become practically exhausted and the ring b4 uncovered the contacts b5 65 are electrically joined, and the circuit is completed through the detectors b 4and wires l and 2, as will presently appear. While Ihave shown and described the above form of detectors, binding-posts, contacts, and ring as the preferred construction in this particular embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that any form of filling-detector whereby as the filling nears complete exhaustion a change is ordered is within the scope of my invention.

Mounted on the loom-frame, preferably adjacent the indicating-box,.is an electromagnet d, supported on a bracket d', having a guiding-arm d2 for the support and guidance of the free end of a controller d3, pivotally connected at d* to the armature d5, itself pivoted at d to the bracket CZ and having its lowered end extended and engaged by a spring d8, which normally tends to hold the armature away from the magnet.

Pivoted to the loom-frame at g is an actuating-lever g', having at one end a pin or roller g2, which travels in the groove g3 of a cam g4, secured to the 'under or cam shaft B2, and connected to the other end of the`actuating-le ver, preferably by the pivot g5, is the actuator gs, which midway of its length is embraced v and guided by the end of the controller cl3.

Secured to the shaft 39, which-is connected to the filling-changing mechanism, is the operating-arm Q7, adapted to be contacted and moved by the actuator g6 when during the reciprocation of the latter it is moved'under the arm Q7 consequent upon the energizationrof the magnet al and movement of its armature due to the completion of -the circuit by the practical exhaustion of the filling from the active shuttle.

The magnet d is in circuit with the detectors and Z2' through the wires land 2, 3 and 4C, the electric energy being derived from any suitable source, as the battery P. From this construction it will be evident that upon a completion of the circuit through the detectors the electromagnet will be energized and at once attract the armature d5 and move the actuator beneath the arm Q7,- but immediately after having indicated a practical exhaustion of the filling and priorto the operation of the filling-changing mechanism the shuttle is driven from the indicating-box and the circuit is again broken, at which time the armal ture under the stress of spring (Z8 would assume its original position and Withdraw the actuator from beneath the arm g7 to obviate which and to retain the magnet energized until the shuttle has reached the changing end of lthe lay and the filling has been changed I have provided in this circuit just described WhatIterm a retarding-relayR, which consists of .an electromagnet R', placed in the circuit of the detectors and having an armature t, Fig. 7, which on establishment of the circuit through the detectors is moved to complete an auxiliary circuit through electromagnet Z after the detecting-circuit has been interrupted by the shuttle leaving the box.

The construction and operation of the relay and the course of the currents will be best understood by reference to Fig. 7, in which R represents therelay, P the battery orsource of electrical energy, S a switch corresponding to the filling-detectors, l the electromagnet for moving the actuator, and O the switch to be hereinafter described and operated by the movement of the filling-changing mechanism. On completion of the circuit by closing the switches S andO the current is caused to iiowV from -the battery through the post t', part thereof passing to the frame of and around the electromagnet R and part to the magnet R, energizing it, and back to the battery. through the post t2, and part passing through the post 3 to energize the magnet Z through the wires 3 and 4, thence back to post t4 and by the conductor t5 to post t2 to battery. Thus the armature Z5 is moved to place the actuator beneath the arm g?. position with the switch S open or the connection between the detectors interrupted by the shut'tle'leaving the box, I have connected to post t the auxiliary circuit t7, and this with the post ts and its connectedcircuit tu t1", to the. other post t9 of which is connected the armature t. From this it will be evident that when the circuit has been established through the detector-circut the armature t is by the energy of the electromagnet R movedto com- To retain it in this ISO plete the auxiliary circuit, which when the switch S or detectors are opened causes the current to iow from the battery P to circuit t7, to post t, to t8, to O, to t, to armature t, to the magnet-frame, to t3, part passing through the electromagnet R to d, to t4, to 2, to battery, and to thus continue until the circuit is interrupted by movement of the fillingchanging mechanism, which opens the switch O, releasing the armature t and interrupting the circuit through the electromagnet d, as will be evident.

In order that the auxiliary current may be broken as soon as the filling-changing mechanism has changed the filling, I secure one member of the switch, O, to the lever e3 and the other adjacent thereto on the frame of the loom, as shown in Fig. 2, the connecting-wires z510 and t of which lead to the relay and form part of the auxiliary circuit, from which it will be clear that as soon as the lling-changing mechanism has operated the auxiliary circuit will be broken and the electromagnet R will release its armature t, thus cutting out the auxiliary circuit also at the relay, so that as the filling-changing mechanism closes the switch O after having supplied fresh filling the auxiliary circuit will not be completed until by the completion of the circuit through the filling-detectors on exhaustion of filling the armature is again moved into completing position.

From the construction described it will be evident that on completion of the circuit by the practical exhaustion of the filling in an active shuttle the electromagnet CZ will be energized and will place the actuator in position to operate the arm Q7 on its upward movement. By the same current thus established the electromagnet R will be energized, as above explained, and through its armature will establish an auxiliary circuit through the wire 157. On the interruption or breaking of the circuit from the filling-detectors as the shuttle leaves the box the current, which before passed through the detector-circuit, will now pass through the auxiliary circuit and retain the magnet (l energized to hold the actuator in position beneath the arm g7 until said actuator has moved said arm and caused a change of filling, thus interrupting the auxiliary circuit, as will be apparent, and the parts resume their original position.

While I have disclosed the above form of relay andconnectcd circuits as the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited thereto, butincludes any formof device which will serve to hold the actuator in operative position after the indication-shuttle has left the indicating-box.

In order to stop the loom when the filling breaks, I provide any usual form of stop-motion, that in the present form of the invention comprising the usual fork m, pivoted to the slide m and adapted to have its hookcd'end l m2 engaged by the weft-hammer M, actuated from the cam or eccentricm3 on the cam-shaft B2, when the said fork is not tipped by contact with the filling as the laybeats up, movement of the slide m being transmitted through any usual means to detach the belt-shipper from its holding-notch, as will be fully understood.

Should the loom continue to operate after a warp-thread has become broken or unduly slack, the pattern or figure in the resulting fabric would be imperfect and the objections heretofore pointed out of turning back the loom, together with the shedding mechanism and pattern-surface, to the point where defective weaving was commenced would be necessary, to obviate which I have combined in the present embodiment of my invention electrically-controlled devices, which upon the indication of a defect in the condition of a warp-thread will cause an electric circuit to be established to thereby put such devices into position to be struck by a moving part of the loom to thereby stop the same.'

The side of the loom-frame, preferably at the end adjacent the shipper-handle, has applied to it a stand 16, to which is pivoted at 20 a dagger-carrier 19, having pivoted at its end 21 a dagger 22, a spring 23 being interposed between the end of the dagger-carrier 19 and a trip-toe 17 on said dagger-carrier, which bears against the knock-0E lever 34 of any usual construction and bearing against the shipper-handle, as shown in Fig. 1.

Preferably below the dagger-carrier 19 and supported by the stand 16 is an electromagnet a, whose armature /v' is normally held out of contact with the magnet by means of a spring liz. Said armature carries a daggersupporting arm 7f3, which when the loom is in normal operating condition supports said dagger 22 above the path of movement of the bunter 71:4, carried by the lay. i

The electromagnet c is by means of the wires 7J and k6 in electric circuit with the two electrically-insulated portions 707 los of the guide-bars 1", such guide-bars being preferably formed of a lower portion le", having a groove in its top into which the other portion, if?, is secured by suitable insulating material electrically separating the two portions of the bars.

Freely sliding on the guide-bars 7c are the drop devices 7cm, preferably consisting of thin metal plates, each having an elongated slot le, through which a guide-bar passes and by which the drop device is guided in its rising-and-falling movement. Above the elongated slot each plate has an eye or perforation k12, through which a warp-thread passes and by which the plates are normally held so that they do not contact with the upper portion la7 of the guide-bar, as will be fully understood. From this construction it will be evident should a warp-thread break or become unduly slack the drop device suspended thereby will fall and join the parts c7 and 768 of-the guide-bars electrically, thereby completing the circuit through the magnet if: and energizing the latter, whereupon the dagger-support is moved by the armature to allow the dagger to fall into the path of the bunter, to be struck thereby and stop the loom through the trip-toe 17 and knock-off lever 34. i

Should a drop device fall and the circuit be completed, as above described, the current would continue to fiow indefinitely or until the drop device was again raised, and to obviate this I have interposed a switch or cutout in the circuit between the electromagnet or battery and portions la7 and las of the guidebars, one portion of the switch being carried by the shipper, as at 8, Fig. 8, and the other portion having Ythe terminal, as at 7, which when the. shipper is in position vto place the loom in operative connection with the driving means are electrically joined by the part 8; but on movement of the shipper to stopV the loom the part 8 is withdrawn from between the terminals at 7, and the current is interrupted.

In the form of my invention as hereinbefore described I have specifically described in some detail particular means for detecting the filling before complete exhaustion and suitable means for changing the filling prior `to complete exhaustion to thereby obviate the necessity of turning back the loom, the shedding mechanism, and pattern, and for the same purpose I have disclosed a particular form of warp stop-motion; but I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to such particular means employed, as I intend my invention to include any form of filling-detecting and any form of filling changing or replenishing mechanism and any form of warp stop-motion when combined with a patterncontrolled shedding mechanism of any usual or desired form, whereby the difficulties hereinbefore pointed out are overcome and a pattern in fabric or figure may be woven without a lost pick.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a loom the following instrumentalities, viz: a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism for manipulating the warp-threads in the production of a figure or pattern, a fillingchanging mechanism, and means for operating said filling-changing mechanism to eect a fresh supply of filling.

2. In aloom'the following instrumentalities, viz: a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism to manipulate the warp-threads in the production of a figure or pattern, and a fillingchanging mechanism operable to effect a fresh supply offilling prior to complete exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle, whereby fabrics may be -woven in pattern or figure without a lost pick.

3. In a loom the following instrumentalities,

viz: a` pattern-controlled shedding mechanism to manipulate the warp-threads in the production of a figure or pattern, a detecting A mechanism, and a filling-changing mechanism operable to effect a fresh supply of filling prior to complete exhaustion of the filling in the running shuttle, whereby fabrics may be woven in pattern or figure Without a lost pick.

4. In a loom the following instrumentalities, viz: a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism for manipulating the warp-threads in the prod uction of a gure or pattern, a'detecting mechanism disposed at one side of the loom,

and a filling-changing mechanism for effecting a fresh supply of filling disposed on the other side of the loom.

5. In a loom the following instrumentalities, viz: a" pattern-controlled shedding mechanism to manipulate the warp-threads in the production of a figure orpattern, a filling-changing mechanism, and electrically controlled means for rendering the filling changing mechanism operable to effect a change of filling in the running shuttle, whereby fabrics may be woven in pattern'or figure without a lost pick.

6. Inaloom thefollowinginstrumentalities,

viz: a pattern controlled shedding mechanism to manipulate the warp-threads in the production of a figure or pattern, a warp stopmotion to bring the loom to rest upon the breaking of a warp-thread, and a filling-changing mechanism operable to effect afresh su pply of filling prior to complete exhaustion of the filling in the running shuttle, whereby fabrics may be woven in pattern or figure without a lost pick.

7. In a loom the following instrumentalities,

I viz: a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism to manipulate the warp-threads in the production of a figure or pattern, an electricallycontrolled warp stop-motion to bring the loom to rest upon the breaking of a warp-thread, a filling-changing mechanism, and means for rendering the filling-changing mechanism operable to effect a change of filling prior to complete exhaustion of thefilling in the running shuttle, whereby fabrics may be woven in pattern or figure without a lost pick.

8. In a loom the following instrumentalities, viz: a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism to manipulate the warp-threads in the production of a figured fabric, a filling-changing mechanism operable to effecta change of filling in the running shuttle and means to stop the loom when the filling breaks.

9. In a loom the following instrumentalities, viz: a pattern-controlled shedding mechanism to manipulate the warp-threads in the production of a figured fabric, a warp stop-motion to stop the loom when a warp-thread breaks, a filling-changing mechanism operable to ef- IOO IIO

IIS

ISO

fect a change of lilling prior to com-plete exhaustion of the filling in the running shuttle and means to stop theloom when the filling breaks.

10. In a loom, the combination of a patterncontrolled shedding mechanism for manipul ating the warp-threads in the production of a figured fabric, a filling-detecting mechanism, a filling-changing mechanism operable to effect a change of filling prior to complete exhaustion of the iilling in a running shuttle, and

means to stop the loom when the filling breaks.

14E. In a loom comprising weaving instrumentalities, the combination of pattern-controlled shedding mechanism for manipulating the warp-threads, a detecting mechanism, a feeder for holding filling-carriers, and a filling changing or replenishing mechanism for transferring a filling-carrier from the feeder to the weaving instrumentalities.

15. In combination with the weaving instrumentalities of a power-loom, pattern-controlled shedding mechanism for actuating the harness thereof, a feeder or magazine for containing lling-carriers, mechanism for automatically ejecting an empty carrier and delivering a filled one, and connections between said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY W. SMITH.

Witnesses:

CHAs. BAEDER, F. K. CooK. 

